Addiction is an integral part of the human psyche, and the addictive qualities of alcohol, tobacco and gambling have long been understood.
However, we’re only just beginning to recognise the equally addictive nature of digital technology....
There are two types of electronic devices nowadays – those we repair, and those we regard as disposable.
A mental checklist of personal possessions quickly identifies which might be serviced, and which would be discarded without thinking....
Going abroad is part of life for millions of people, from holidays in the sun to business trips and weddings.
Unfortunately, your UK smartphone contract won’t necessarily cover calls, texts or even mobile data in other parts of the world
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It’s not often a television programme changes the world, but Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II has transformed the planet’s attitudes to plastic.
The final, harrowing episode in this documentary series inspired a global debate o...
By now, most of us understand the concept of phishing.
Unsolicited emails pretending to be from high-profile businesses or Nigerian princes have become a familiar (if unwelcome) sight in our inboxes over the years.
Email spam filters and in...
There’s something very exciting about receiving a new smartphone.
From the first unboxing through to exploring your new device’s capabilities, replacement phones generally represent a welcome upgrade on what went before.
In truth, what ...
Periodically, your smartphone will announce it needs an important update (the word important is usually used, to generate a sense of urgency).
The device might suggest installing this update at night, and it’ll usually only take place if ...
Rooting a smartphone sounds like it might involve a plant pot, and it does have one or two horticultural similarities.
A device will expand after being rooted, with offshoots potentially extending in unexpected directions.
However, rooting ...
Mobile phones have enriched and advanced our lives, but unfortunately these benefits are less clear-cut when it comes to children.
From malware to spyware, from cyber-bullying to grooming, the internet’s various horrors are all easily acc...
For decades, we’ve suspected that living in Britain means we have to pay more than other countries for certain products and services.
The phrase “rip-off Britain” was coined in the 1990s, eventually being adopted by a BBC TV series an...
